New Class Nature-inspired Lessons: Lesson 2
River of Learning
Learning Objectives:
- To understand why learning can be compared to a river
- To identify things that both shape and help learning
Did you know?
A river is a large, flowing body of water that usually starts high in the mountains or hills and travels downhill, following a path called a channel, until it reaches a lake, sea or ocean.
Always moving forward and never stopping, a river can be fast and exciting in the mountains with waterfalls and rapids, or slow and steady as it flows across flatter land. Along the way, there are many twists and turns (meanders). Sometimes a river will carve a new path and head in a completely different direction. The water can be deep in places and shallow in others, and the river is shaped by its surroundings – the rocks, the land and the weather.
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Having watched the film clip and read the ‘Did you know?’ information, use the Time to Talk ‘Hands Down Class Discussion’ prompt below to discuss the following questions:
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In what ways is learning like a river?
- When is learning fast and exciting?
- When is learning slow and steady?
– Hands Down Class Discussion (Click the 🗣️)
Recommended Activity
River of Learning Sketch
“Learning is like a flowing river.”
Your Task
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Choose a goal – Pick something you want to learn or achieve this year.
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Draw your river – Use the River of Learning Sketch template below (or create your own) to show:
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Things that will speed up your journey
- Things that will slow down your journey
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Click here for sketch support template.
Take it further
Keep your sketch and add to it during the year as you work towards achieving your goal:
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Obstacles = draw/annotate as dams or boulders
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Changes of direction = draw/annotate as tributaries or meanders
- New discoveries = draw/annotate as riverbank features
